Scandalous Heart: Historical Romance

By Joyce Carroll

Choosing between a secret you have promised to keep and a love you cannot let go...

When Georgiana mysteriously meets a man who instantly falls in love with her, she wonders if the man and the relationship are too good to be true.  What is he hiding?

Once she learns that it is this man who was responsible for the larger scandal in the town over, Georgiana is more skeptical but cannot help but discover an attraction she can't resist.

If you like romances with a twist and suspense you will love this compelling tale from Joyce Carroll

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Hughes
• Release date: Aug 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536530018

Book preview

Joyce Carroll

THE WEDDING

She would never forget the day of her wedding. Georgiana had planned everything as carefully as she could, focusing on each last minute detail. She had hand-picked the invitations in a beautiful pale yellow cardstock with fine handwritten calligraphy letters in white that spelled out the names ‘Mr. Thomas and Georgiana Ashbury’. She had chosen the select few relatives and close friends who would be attending and sent out the invitations to the people on each side.

She had arranged for her grandfather to give her away at the church alter because her father was no longer living. She had then chosen the flowers that would adorn the church, the white lily, because she had read about the symbolism of the flower. It was meant to express devotion. Georgiana did not know what to expect of her wedding or her future, but she knew that she wanted devotion to be a part of her it.

Devotion. A simple word and yet it meant so much to Georgiana. She was a simple girl from a simple background in an era of structured sophistication. She had worked hard to secure this new life, this future with Thomas. She had started writing to attract his attention as usually only wealthy and educated women wrote novels. She had seen many of her relatives turn to life as a companion or chaperone to royals and Georgiana was not interested. She didn’t need to cross paths with royalty, but she did want to have a higher position in society that was her own. The only way to make this happen was to marry up. Mr. Thomas Ashbury worked as an apothecary and was well respected. By marrying him, Georgiana would be able to enter into a higher class of society.

Still, Georgiana was not only interested in marrying up but was also interested in marrying someone that would fulfill her. Mr. Thomas Ashbury was that someone. He had dark blue eyes that reminded Georgiana of a quiet starry night with long lashes that made him seem gentle and sweet. He had a long nose, though it was not large. It gave his face a scholarly, academic look that Georgiana loved. His smile was small but charming. He had two crooked front teeth but this made him approachable and gave him an